ABSTRACT
Quasimodo has become the archetypal figure of the monster with a human heart-a poignant union of sublime and grotesque. A monster on the outside, a tender soul on the inside, he is a symbol of social injustice, physical rejection, and abnormality. (In fact, the “Quasimodo Complex” was first coined by two physicians in 1967 to describe a personality disorder produced by emotional reaction to physical deformity.) The hunch-backed bell-ringer also personifies devoted, passionate love. Although he does not receive tender feelings in return, he fights like a lion and commits murder for his beloved, hence transforming into a tragic hero. Nevertheless, “quasi” means almost, and the character is doomed from the beginning: he will never be considered as completely human. His appearance seals his fate as a monster. In French culture and language, Quasimodo generally refers to a person of ugly appearance.
